Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Surge of Americans tests limits of Cuba's

tourism industry

HAVANA| BY JAIME HAMRE

Cuba's tourism industry is under unprecedented strain and struggling to meet demand with record numbers of visitors arriving a year after detente with the United States renewed interest in the Caribbean island.

Its tropical weather, rich musical traditions, famed cigars and classic cars were for decades off limits to most Americans under Cold War-era sanctions, but those restrictions are fading.

Once a rare sight, Americans are now swarming Old Havana's colonial squares and narrow streets along with Europeans and Canadians.

Entrepreneurs and hustlers have responded by upping prices on taxi rides, meals, and trinkets. Cuban women who pose for pictures in colorful dresses and headwraps while chomping cigars are now charging $5 instead of $1.

Cuba received a record 3.52 million visitors last year, up 17.4 percent from 2014. American visits rose 77 percent to 161,000, not counting hundreds of thousands of Cuban-Americans.

Industry experts worry the island will be unable to absorb an even greater expected surge when scheduled U.S. commercial airline and ferry services are due to start this year.

As it is, foreigners face extreme difficulties booking hotels and rental cars, and those who hoped to discover Cuba before the hordes arrive realize they are too late.

"Cuba is over the top with tourists right now. I've seen so many Americans, it's not even funny," said Ana Fernandez, 44, of Nashville, Tennessee.

Gisela Hoiman, 46, a schoolbook editor from Berlin, hoped to see Cuba "before it changes" but was disappointed to find long airport lines, ubiquitous hucksters and masses of tourists. She was stranded in Havana when she was unable to get a spot on the bus leaving for the eastern city of Santiago."It was too much to handle, too many other tourists. We stood in line and were sent back and forth to different counters," she said from an Old Havana cafe with her large backpack parked on the floor. "I don't think Cuba is prepared."

The United States and Cuba agreed in December 2014 to end five decades of animosity and have since restored diplomatic ties, igniting international buzz about Cuba.

The opening has benefited Cuba's small private sector, which offers restaurants and rooms for rent in family homes.

But the tourism infrastructure, with just 63,000 hotel rooms nationwide, is still largely a function of the state and has languished under decades of U.S. economic sanctions and underdevelopment.

"From offloading at the airport to restaurant availability, infrastructure is maxed out," said Collin Laverty, founder of Cuba Educational Travel, which organizes tours for legally permitted travel for Americans.

A select number of foreign-run hotels, such as those of Spain's Melia Hotels International SA (MEL.MC), fill up fast, leaving many visitors with little option but tired state-run motels or rooms in private homes.

Some have been priced out or bumped from hotels, especially in Havana, where high-end U.S. groups reserve blocks months in advance and pay higher prices.

"It is kind of a slap in the face as it has been the Canadian and European tourists who have helped keep the Cuban economy afloat for the past 25 years," said Keri Montgomery, owner of Vancouver-based Finisterra travel.

The government is seeking more foreign investment and has plans to reach 85,000 hotel rooms nationwide by 2020, but the pace is slow and development has mostly favored beach destinations rather than Cuba's cultural centers.

Cuban officials did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

American tourism is still banned under the U.S. trade embargo but U.S. citizens and residents are allowed to visit under 12 categories including for religious, sporting and educational exchanges.

In one of his first moves after rapprochement, Obama made it easier for those 12 categories of travelers to go to Cuba.

The increased presence of Americans is especially noticeable in Havana, and because there has been little enforcement of the tourism ban, some are also enjoying Cuba's beaches and bars with little effort to disguise their intentions.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has not fined any Americans for visiting Cuba since Obama took office in January 2009, its database shows.

Under President George W. Bush, OFAC fined hundreds of individuals for embargo violations, mostly for travel. More than 800 people received penalties including nearly $1.1 million in fines in 2004 and 2005 alone, according to a 2015 report by the Congressional Research Service.

California native Tony Pandola, 33, who has been leading Americans around Cuba for three years, said once-intimate experiences are now plagued by crowds.

"On this really beautiful, quiet farm there were six giant tour buses with their diesel engines running and a couple of minivans and taxis all waiting to have the same experience with the tobacco farmer," he said from Viñales, a picturesque valley west of Havana.

While many budget travelers can usually find accommodations even without booking, some are left stranded.

"I talked to a cab driver in Viñales who said they were offering tourists to sleep in the back of their car for $10," Pandola said.

Leonardo Diaz, 34, who has been working in tourism in his hometown of Viñales since he was a teen, said every room was booked in December.

"A lot of tourists have stayed in the park. That had never been seen before," he said.

Havana's international airport lacks sufficient infrastructure such as luggage trucks and passenger stairs to handle the influx, causing bottlenecks.

"It's total madness," said Roniel Hernandez, who works at the terminal receiving U.S. flights. "The airport employees are doing everything possible to satisfy visitors, but the equipment is very old and needs to be replaced."

Retired teacher Joanna Sarff finally came to Cuba after dreaming about it for 50 years, so she refused to let the inconveniences spoil her trip, saying she was more focused on plans to dance on the tables at a Buena Vista Social Club concert than the crowds.

"For me, this is a great way to experience the culture, the people, the food, the mojitos, and the cigars!"

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Fri
Jan 22, 2016 9:00 am (PST) .

Posted by:

HAVANA, Cuba,Jan 22 (acn) The
Chinese community in Cuba will mark the New Lunar Year, from Friday
January 22nd through February 7th, with a largearray of cultural
activities.

The event, also known as Spring Festival, is being
sponsored by the Confucius Institute at the Havana University, the Chung
Wah Casino Federation and the Center ofChinese Arts and Traditions; these
two latter ones based at Havana€ ¦´s Chinatown.

Teresa Maria Lee,
who leads the Center of Chinese Arts and Traditions, told reporters
that the event is considered one of the most important ones in China and
it ismarked by Chinese communities in many countries.

The
festival includes a photo exhibit sponsored by the Chinese embassy in Havana;
MartialArts exhibitions, as well as colorful parades of symbolic Chinese
characterssuch as lions and dragons.

Havana´s Chinatown, close
to the old section of the city, boasts of a series of services like
restaurants and centers that help keep Chinese cultural traditions
alive for the descendants of the immigrants from that nation and also for
theenjoyment of all the people.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

IIE Delegation to Cuba Explores Educational Partnership Opportunities

NEW YORK, November 11, 2015—U.S. university officials who took part in a historic delegation to Cuba from October 25 to November 1 led by the Institute of International Education found that Cuban higher education officials expressed a resounding desire to develop partnerships with their U.S. counterparts. The delegation, which is part of IIE’s Cuba Higher Education Initiative, was a first step toward cultivating relationships and exploring potential areas of cooperation. The U.S. campus representatives have returned to their colleges and universities with the intent to develop strategic plans for increasing partnership activities with Cuban institutions. Expected outcomes include new study abroad programs, faculty exchange, joint conferences or symposia, joint publications, and faculty-led courses to Cuba.As an immediate result of the delegation, U.S. university representatives will be sharing their impressions and priorities for developing partnerships during an IIE National Conference Call on expanding US – Cuba academic collaboration on November 17th. To register for the Conference Call, please go to the IIE Cuba Higher Education website. Dial-in information will be provided after registration.The delegation was led by IIE’s President and CEO, Allan E. Goodman, and included of a diverse group of 12 U.S. higher education institutions: the Associated Colleges of the Midwest; Central Washington University; Indiana University; Lehman College, CUNY; Oberlin College; Rutgers University; SUNY New Paltz; University of Arizona; Montclair State University; University of Tampa; Virginia Commonwealth University; and West Texas A&M. The thirty-four delegates met with high-level officials from six Cuban universities, including the Universidad de La Habana, Instituto Superior de Arte, Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverría (CUJAE), University of Ciencias Médicas de la Habana (UCMH), Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, and the Universidad de Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez (UNICA). In addition, the group heard from the Cuban Ministry of Higher Education and the new Chargé D’Affairs from the U.S. Embassy. All of the Cuban universities voiced interest in academic cooperation and affirmed their belief that recent steps to normalize U.S.-Cuba relations may make the creation of partnerships easier to establish in the near future.A number of key learning outcomes from this exploratory delegation revolve around the partnership priorities from the Cuban perspective, and the mechanics of how to initiate new linkages. Priorities from the Cuban perspective focus on graduate-level and faculty exchanges in fields such as agriculture, water management, environmental studies, energy/renewable energy, and public health, although they noted that they are also open to collaborating in all fields, including the arts and humanities. Like higher education institutions around the world, these priority areas demonstrate a growing emphasis on using international cooperation to address wider global concerns regarding food, water, and energy security, along with protection of the local environment.Cuban institutions have a rich history of international collaboration. A majority of the international students that study in Cuba come from Central and Latin America, Africa, and Europe, and are especially prevalent in the medical universities. Despite a dearth in U.S. – Cuba academic partnerships, Europe, Latin America, and Canada have been working with Cuban counterparts for decades and serve as helpful models for U.S. colleges and universities. Meeting with Ambassadors from Norway, Spain, Canada, Belgium, Brazil, and the European Union provided the IIE delegation with helpful insight on the strong history of collaboration between these countries and Cuban higher education institutions. While the present moment provides a unique opportunity to increase U.S. – Cuba institutional partnerships, they will not be without their challenges. Cuban institutions discussed what they see as a lack of financial and infrastructure resources, and many institutions made clear that they do not have the funds to send Cuban faculty and students abroad. The embargo has contributed to a lack of modern equipment and other resources that are essential for conducting research at Cuban institutions, in many cases requiring universities to use outdated equipment. Despite these challenges, U.S. institutions are planning to pursue a variety of opportunities, including developing a possible U.S. consortium that will work with Cuban counterparts on discipline-specific issues, such as climate change or water management. They plan to initiate new faculty-led courses, connect researchers, and invite visiting lecturers to the U.S. for short-term appointments.

About the Institute of International Education

The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,400 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad.

About the IIE Cuba Higher Education Initiative

IIE’s Cuba Higher Education Initiative includes the International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP), a series of briefing papers, and national conference calls to discuss ways to expand cooperation in higher education between the U.S. and Cuba. IAPP provides U.S. colleges and universities with a guided strategic planning process to expand cooperation with Cuban counterparts. In addition to the delegation to Cuba, IAPP Cuba connects all participants with expert mentors who provide expert advice to participants as they work to achieve their partnership goals.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, on the one-year anniversary of President Obama's historic announcement to begin normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba, NAFSA: Association of International Educators announces the NAFSA Cuba Engagement Initiative, a new program designed to promote sustainable partnerships between U.S. and Cuban academic institutions. The planned initiative consists of two interconnected projects that will lead to sustainable academic partnerships and mobility between the United States and Cuba: the Cuba-U.S. Higher Education Dialogue Project; and the Educators for Cuba Campaign.

NAFSA's Cuba-U.S. Higher Education Dialogue Project will provide on-going teaching and learning events for participants to gain insight about the Cuban and U.S. higher education landscape. In addition, NAFSA will provide travel grants for Cuban education leaders to attend the NAFSA 2016 and 2017 Annual Conferences and other international education events.

In conjunction with the Dialogue Project, NAFSA's Educators for Cuba Campaign will provide advocacy leadership for those in higher education seeking to support the ongoing U.S.- Cuba normalization process and to end the U.S. embargo. NAFSA will also continue to partner with other organizations such as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Latin America Working Group, Civitas Global Educational Services, the Washington Office on Latin America, and Engage Cuba to mobilize political support for easing trade and travel restrictions with Cuba.

"As the U.S. and Cuban governments continue the historic process of normalizing relations, it is important that people and cultures that have been separated for more than 50 years have a structured and meaningful framework in which to engage and learn from each other," said Marlene M. Johnson, NAFSA's Executive Director and CEO. "International education and partnerships have always played an important role in building understanding and collaboration between nations, and we now have an opportunity to positively impact this historic process."

The NAFSA Cuba Engagement Initiative redoubles NAFSA's longstanding commitment to the use of academic exchanges and partnerships to build a more globally engaged United States and develop new opportunities for U.S. and Cuban international higher education leaders to collaborate. The program will complement NAFSA's continued work with 100,000 Strong in the Americas, the NAFSA Latin America Forum, and a decade of advocacy efforts.

"It's important that this be a two-way dialogue, and that the partnerships meet Cuban—not just U.S.—needs," said Kevin Hovland, NAFSA Deputy Executive Director of Conference, Academic Programs, and Internationalization Services. "NAFSA's Cuba-U.S. Higher Education Dialogue Project is centered on this mutual learning and respect for what both countries' higher education institutions have to offer."

Activities related to NAFSA's Cuba Engagement Initiative will begin in 2016. NAFSA's annual Advocacy Day, scheduled for March 14 and 15, will focus on urging Congress to lift the embargo and travel restrictions. Several high visibility events are already planned for the NAFSA 2016 Annual Conference in May, including several integrated sessions.

"Although the Obama Administration has done as much as possible to restore academic exchanges, the embargo still impedes educational partnerships and innovative research collaboration," said Jill Welch, NAFSA Deputy Executive Director for Public Policy. "Ultimately, Congress needs to act to lift the remaining travel and trade restrictions if we are to truly utilize education as one of the greatest foreign policy and economic tools at our disposal. By coordinating efforts amongst higher education stakeholders, NAFSA aims to create the tipping point needed to reverse the embargo."

About NAFSA: With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Visit us at www.nafsa.org/press. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.ConnectingOurWorld.org and @ConnectOurWorld on Twitter.

AASCU Cuba Presidential Mission Sets Stage for Joint Collaboration

AASCU, representing its more than 400 members, and the Ministry of Higher Education of Cuba, representing the country’s universities and research centers, signed a memorandum of agreement on September 10 at the conclusion of AASCU’s presidential mission to Cuba.

The agreement focuses on the creation of a joint task force that will be responsible for implementing several goals, including: developing mutually beneficial opportunities for faculty professional development, increasing student mobility, and for joint research at the undergraduate and graduate levels;promoting“Universidad2016”Congress among AASCU members; creating an academic collaboration framework with specific steps and actions tobesignedat“Universidad2016”Congress; and continuing to support lifting the U.S. commercial, financial and economic embargo of Cuba, which impedes mutually beneficial academic collaboration.

AASCU President Muriel Howard andJoséRamónSaboridoLoidi,firstviceminister, Ministry of Higher Education for Cuba, signed the memorandum on behalf of their respective constituencies. “We believe there are significant opportunities for collaboration between our members and the Cuban universities and research centers,” said AASCU President Muriel Howard. “The discussions we had with their presidents and ministry officials were productive and provided insight into how students and faculty in both countries can benefit from academic exchanges.”

AASCU presidents and chancellors who participated in the mission are: James Anderson, chancellor, FayettevilleStateUniversity (N.C.); Donald Betz, president, University of Central Oklahoma; Katherine Conway-Turner, president, BuffaloState(N.Y.);SteveMichaelDorman,president,GeorgiaCollege&State University; Cheryl Dozier, president, Savannah State University (Ga.); John Ettling, president, State University ofNewYorkCollegeatPlattsburgh;WilliamV.Flores,president,Universityof Houston-Downtown; Willie Hagan, president, California State University, Dominguez Hills; Karen S. Haynes, president, California State University San Marcos; Sue Henderson, president, New Jersey City University; Steven Jordan, president, Metropolitan State University of Denver; William LaForge,president,Delta State University (Miss.); Leroy Morishita, president, California State University, East Bay; Bruce Murphy, president, Nicholls State University, (La.);FrankPogue,president, Cheyney State University (Pa.); and Gregory Weisenstein, president, West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to President Howard, other staff representing AASCU included Dorcas Colvin, vice president for leadership development and member services; Arlene Jackson, associate vice president for global initiatives; and Sufei Li, academic leadership and change staff member. A news release issued by the Ministry of Higher Education said that the delegation was “one of the largest to visit the island since December 17 last year, when a new chapter began in the relations between the two countries.” It also noted, “One of the Cuban interests is establishing internships for Cuban professors in the U.S. and vice versa…and there is a desire for exchange possibilities at the postgraduate level including shared research projects…”

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Cuba Hosting Musicabana Music Festival

Musicabana Foundation is celebrating improved relations between the U.S. and Cuba by putting on a special event in May – the “first international music festival produced by American and Cuban partners in 30 years.” The nonprofit organization has also booked a March gig with Major Lazer.

While the U.S. waits for Congress to follow through on President Obama’s suggestion to “lift the embargo,” Cuba is ready to party.

Major Lazer gets things started with a March 6 show on Havana’s waterfront at La Tribuna José Martí. The EDM group – made up of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Jilionaire – plans on meeting with Cuban music students and sharing its stage with up-and-coming DJs.

“For as long as I can remember, Cuba has played an influential role in my love of music – Cuba has such a powerful cultural impact all over the world, and for me, especially growing up in Florida, it became one of the biggest cultural centers for music to evolve from,” Diplo said. “I was lucky enough to visit Cuba a few years back with my friends Calle 13, and during my four days there, my mind was blown by the people, depth of culture and their way of life. Going back to perform in 2016 and to be a part of the culture once again is a huge blessing, and I couldn’t be more honored to bring the Major Lazer project there.”

The festival, simply called Musicabana, is scheduled May 5-8 at Havana’s Plaza San Francisco de Asis, Salon Rosado of la Tropical, and La Piragua. The multi-genre bill, which will feature more than 25 artists and DJs, is topped by Jamaican rapper Sean Paul and Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown.

Both Major Lazer’s show and Musicabana will be free to the Cuban public. What about amigos in the U.S.? The festival’s website says, “All American citizens will be able to legally attend Musicabana events and concerts by purchasing customized travel packages that are fully compliant with applicable U.S. rules and regulations.”

CNN reports that while general tourist travel to Cuba is still illegal for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, you can visit if the purpose of your trip qualifies for one of 12 travel categories. CNN points out, “Fortunately, it seems that with the right spin, almost anything can.”

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that the Virginia Port Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cuban National Port Authority to evaluate commercial opportunities between the Port of Virginia and Cuba’s newly opened Port of Mariel Special Development Project.

The MOU establishes a platform for cooperation and information sharing aimed at developing links between Cuba and Virginia to support waterborne trade and investment, improve customer service, enhance collaboration to achieve improved business practices, and increase the level of vessel services available between the two entities. Under this agreement, the two port authorities may undertake initiatives including data interchange, market studies, training and technological interchange.

“This agreement will enhance Virginia’s trading relationship with Cuba and supports our efforts to build the new Virginia economy,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Virginia enjoys a uniquely productive economic relationship with Cuba, and this MOU will generate additional opportunities for economic and cultural exchange. As relations between our nations continue to normalize, this agreement will position Virginia as a leader in trade relations with Cuba now and in the future.”

Cuba’s $1 billion port project will make Mariel the largest port in the Caribbean, with a capacity to handle approximately 1.3 million shipping containers a year. It will also allow Mariel to serve as a trans-shipment hub for the region.

“I believe Virginia’s continued engagement has once again yielded positive results in Cuba,” commented Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore. “Last year, Cuba purchased $25 million in agricultural exports from Virginia, all in bulk shipments. This agreement will help position Virginia to provide container service for agricultural products such as poultry, pork and apples, which are shipped in refrigerated containers”

“Despite Virginia’s export success to Cuba, there is currently no direct container service between Virginia and Cuba,” said Tom Capozzi, Chief Sales Officer of Virginia International Terminals, who served as a representative for the Virginia Port Authority during the visit. “Our agribusiness companies that ship products in containers could benefit from enhanced cooperation between our port terminals and the Port of Mariel, especially as Mariel becomes an important trans-ship service provider for the region.”

“The Port of Virginia is the Commonwealth’s gateway to the world. This new agreement benefits the agriculture industry and opens Virginia’s and the nation’s doors to new markets as relations with Cuba continue to strengthen,” said Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne. “These opportunities demonstrate the wisdom of investing in our port in order to build a new Virginia economy and strengthen our competitive edge in the global economy.”

While the trade mission to Havana yielded a series of positive results, Governor McAuliffe noted that the full potential of opportunities with Cuba will never be realized until the U.S. embargo against Cuba is ended. In October 2015, Governor McAuliffe was joined by eight other governors in a bi-partisan letter to the leaders of Congress calling for an end to the remaining trade and travel restrictions. Governor McAuliffe reiterated that his administration will continue to press for changes to federal law that will allow for free and open bilateral trade and travel between the U.S. and Cuba.

Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Havana allowing both institutions to work together to develop cooperative programs in a variety of academic disciplines studied at both institutions.

While on an historic marketing and collaboration mission to Cuba, Governor McAuliffe witnessed the signing during a meeting with Dr. Gustavo Cobreiro, Rector of the University of Havana, and Dr. Gail Hackett, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at VCU.

“World class higher education institutions like Virginia Commonwealth University play a vital role in our work to build a new Virginia economy, and they serve as key ambassadors to nations across the globe,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The University of Havana and VCU both have rich histories and bright futures. This MOU will ensure that the future includes significant engagement and collaboration between these great academic and research institutions, as well as between the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation of Cuba.”

“Today’s agreement is a firm acknowledgement that our societies and our institutions must to work together and openly engage with one another in order to improve higher education in both Cuba and the Commonwealth of Virginia,” commented Secretary of Education Anne Holton. “I am pleased that VCU and the University of Havana have established collaborative relations to promote friendship and to cooperate in a mutually beneficial manner.”

From the exchange of students and faculty, to collaborative work on research projects and scientific advancement, this MOU opens the door to the pursuit of joint initiatives in areas such as health, economics, business, the arts and the humanities. Strengthening academic and research collaboration is a significant step in building stronger economic and cultural ties between Virginia and Cuba, and will allow both partners to benefit from the unique assets these two institutions possess.

Dr. Gail Hackett, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at VCU added, “We are eager to continue the meaningful partnership begun today and to deepen it in the years to come. To be engaged with such a distinguished institution as the University of Havana is a great honor shared by me, President Rao and the entire VCU community.”

This is first announcement to come from the Governor’s marketing and collaboration mission to Cuba. During his meetings in Havana, Governor McAuliffe noted that the full potential of opportunities with Cuba will never be realized until the U.S. embargo against Cuba is ended. In October 2015, Governor McAuliffe was joined by eight other governors in a bi-partisan letter to the leaders of Congress calling for an end to the remaining trade and travel restrictions. Governor McAuliffe reiterated that his administration will continue to press for changes to federal law which will allow for free and open bilateral trade and travel between the U.S. and Cuba.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Is Cuba’s rising travel trade a threat to leading Caribbean destinations? That depends on whom you ask.

Until recently, the détente between the United States and its longtime foe had generated more headlines than actual tourism business; in fact, tourism from the United States to Cuba is still verboten under the existing trade embargo. While travelers intent on visiting the country can sign up for officially approved people-to-people tours, air fares and tour packages remain high-priced versus similar packages to other Caribbean nations where the infrastructure is far superior.

And so far, the established destinations in the region seem to be holding their own despite the hype over holidays in Havana.

“I have been getting a lot of calls about Cuba,” said Susan Berman, of Berman Travel in Atlantic City, NJ. “But when I tell them what the ‘people to people tours’ entail, it sounds pretty rigid,” she said, with little free time on the agenda. “Clients aren’t used to that kind of structure when they go to the Caribbean,” she said. “They want to lie on a beach and have a pina colada. Most of them tell me: ‘I’ll wait until later.’ ”

With the recent announcement that regularly scheduled commercial air travel to Cuba could resume soon, however, and cruise ships readying to sail there as well, more consumers have Havana on their must-see list. Travel between the United States and Cuba is already up by more than 70% in 2015, and with airlines like American, JetBlue, and United poised to promote new service there, demand will be limited only by how fast Cuba can add the necessary hotel (and food) infrastructure.

Still, it’s one thing to generate buzz, and it’s quite another to deliver the kind of experience seasoned travelers expect.

“Wifi is not great, hotels are a little basic,” Berman said. “And when I price it out for clients, it’s pretty expensive. They could go to the Dominican Republic or Jamaica for half the price, and stay in a resort with all the amenities.”

But it’s widely assumed that the trade sanctions limiting Americans’ time on the beach will soon be history –and with that, Cuba could become a serious alternative to the vacation resorts of the Bahamas and any number of Caribbean islands that enjoy a steady stream of U.S. visitors during the peak season.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, in fact, is already facing up to the threat: it recently described Cuba’s opening to U.S. visitors as a “the biggest and most disruptive pebble to be dropped into the Caribbean” since the U.S. embargo 50 years ago.

Frank Comito, Director General and CEO of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, told TMR that "while the region as a whole should benefit from the interest in travel to Cuba," some destinations with a high percentage of U.S. visitors "have expressed concerns," he said.

"They are looking for ways to capitalize on the heightened interest in the region."

A white paper issued by the CHTA said that Cuba’s proximity to Florida could cut into the market for impulse or short-stay vacations, especially to the Bahamas, where more than 20% of arrivals hail from the Sunshine State. The Northeast states are another major source of visitors to the Bahamas, and other destinations like the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, have benefited from online offers and discounted air-land packages, the report said.

A lot depends on if and when Cuba’s air fares and room rates drop to competitive levels. But in the meantime, the country’s limited infrastructure could be an advantage for nearby countries that could position themselves as convenient stopovers for travelers who’d like some R&R before or after their Cuban sojourns. In fact, Bahamas’ Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe said he’s working with his counterparts in Cuba to develop multi-destination packages so visitors can take in both countries.

“The Bahamas will still have its market,” he said.

Also in the near term, clients may be able to satisfy their curiosity about Cuba by booking a cruise; Berman said she recently booked a cruise for early in 2017 on Pearl Cruises.

Since Cuba's star will only continue to rise, "multi-destination packages involving Cuba will have a particularly strong appeal," in 2016, said Hugh Riley, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, noting that already the increased public attention has had a positive effect on tourism to the region in general.

Excerpts from a full dress performance, not as seen at the Arenal Theater, are herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3tkkyPaHY0***********************

Opera de la Calle is best translated as “Music of the Streets”. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the company creatively and energetically mixes 500 years of Cuban culture, a fast moving hard to describe pastiche of dance, voice and instruments encompassing local traditions and international influences. Members of the company include professionals graduated from Cuba’s finest schools of music and dance and newcomers whose natural talents have found release and nurture.

Opera is not only exceptional entertainment, quite popular with contemporary Cuban audiences and all variety of foreign visitors, but also a fault line in Cuban cultural change. You can read more about its complicated and controversial history as a pioneering mixed private public venture here: http://operadelacalle.blogspot.com/

Creator (and international opera singer) Ulises Aquino is well regarded in the mainstream of the Cuban arts world and has achieved respect for his independent path. The Ministry of Culture and friends in the US are investing in the rehabilitation of the Arenal Theater as a permanent home for Opera. (A story is circulating that the controversial abrupt closure of its previous home at El Cabildo was not due to the political problems that most critics assumed but may have resulted from complaints by two important ambassadors whose residences are nearby and were disturbed by the noise level and public commotion late into the evening. In any case, they have regained access to El Cabildo, and the ambassadors' residences have moved.)

2019 update: Ulises Aquino has regained access to the theater El Cabildo and is using it as well that the theater Arenal.

-- John McAuliff, Fund for Reconciliation and Development director@ffrd.org